Note: While many NBA fans have said if LeBron James‘ supporting cast did
more Ravens
Lamar Jackson Jersey , the Cavs would be more competitive. BJ
Armstrong, a former member of Jordan’s supporting cast, shares his perspective.
Armstrong says everything new is old, everything LeBron is Jordan. His take on
James and the Cavaliers:

—

The NBA Finals are giving me a feeling of deja vu. Everyone keeps saying all
LeBron James needs is help. Maybe true but, with the greatest respect, he also
needs to help himself.

In 1989-90 I became one of the group known as the Jordanaires, a/k/a the
Bulls. From the day I arrived in Chicago, I knew what everyone else on the team
did: Michael Jordan was a phenomenal talent. Yet, as the team deferred to MJ’s
talent, we could not get past the hurdle of defeating the ”Bad Boys” Pistons in
the conference finals. Seeing the Cavs in these Finals Riley
Sutter Capitals Jersey , I’m seeing the way we were playing then.
It’s textbook isolation basketball. Back in the last century, MJ would get the
ball and the rest of us on the team would all stand around while he scored. It
was a sight to see, but it wasn’t team basketball. What it was was all of us
enabling MJ to showcase his best individual talent.

At some point, MJ realized that, as great as he was, he alone could not beat
the Pistons. That’s what the Jordan Rules were all about – employing a defensive
scheme with the sole purpose of limiting hero basketball. Similarly, LeBron has
to commit to the team’s system of play. So far, he’s been incredible, but he’s
not been a willing participant in the team. This is where trust comes in. He has
to trust the system.

It reminds me of when everyone was telling Jordan he didn’t have enough to
win. His teammates just weren’t good enough – me being one of them. What was
really missing was the trust to win. Once MJ found that trust, we beat the
Pistons and went on to win the NBA championship many times over. In doing
so Brandon
Guyer Cleveland Indians Jersey , MJ discovered that his teammates
WERE good enough, because he was part of the team.

Greatness is empowered in a system where you pass the ball, not pound it.
Everyone has to be committed to this system. The best player on the team has to
realize that he needs the team in order to win – and I don’t mean passing the
ball when he gets double-teamed. He, and everyone else, has to buy into the
system. MJ passed me the ball not because he was being double-teamed, but
because he trusted we were playing together as a group. Michael’s greatness was,
in part, knowing how to move the pieces on the board in the triangle offense
system of play. Isolation basketball will always be part of the game. But the
system has to be predicated on ball movement and, more importantly, player
movement.

LeBron James has proven he can lead by example. My wish for LeBron is to
understand the following: He’s an exceptional leader because he leads by
example. The next step on the road to Legend Authentic
Rasmus Dahlin Jersey , which he’s already on, is to trust he’s the
best player in the best system anywhere in basketball. Then his coach, the
system and his teammates – the TEAM – will be good enough to win.

—

Victor Hedman figured all the Tampa Bay Lightning needed to get back on track
was a shift in momentum.

The big defenseman took it upon himself to provide it.

Hedman scored his first goal of the playoffs and added two assists, and
Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 36 of 38 shots to help the Lightning beat the
Washington Capitals 4-2 in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference final Tuesday night
and cut their series deficit to 2-1. Hedman had the primary assist on power-play
goals by Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov and was a key part of three big
penalty kills for Tampa Bay.

”I’m put in a position to produce, and I put that pressure on myself to do
it,” said Hedman, who has a goal and 10 assists during an eight-game point
streak. ”For me, it’s about being effective at all ends of the ice and trying to
be a difference-maker every time I step on it.”

Hedman was dominant all over the ice as Tampa Bay looked like an entirely
different team than the one that lost the first two games of the series at home
and now has a chance to tie it in Game 4 on Thursday. The Norris Trophy finalist
who played a team-high 25:08 was most proud of successful penalty kills.

”He’s a perennial Norris guy,” Stamkos said of Hedman. ”We can’t describe how
good he is out there. We rely on him a ton, he’s a horse and most nights if he’s
going well Jaleel
Scott Color Rush Jersey , we’re going well as a team. Another big
effort for him tonight, and you could see we all followed suit.”

It wasn’t perfect, but it was a more complete effort from Tampa Bay, which
jumped out to a 3-0 lead before Brett Connolly answered for Washington in the
second. Brayden Point’s goal less than five minutes later allowed the Atlantic
Division champions to play with a comfortable lead that survived Evgeny
Kuznetsov’s 6-on-5 goal with 3:02 remaining.

Vasilevskiy was a big part of holding on to the lead as he made seven saves
on the penalty kill as part of a bounce-back performance after being criticized
for his play earlier in the series. It wasn’t perfect, but the Lightning began
to make it up to Vasilevskiy for hanging him out to dry on so many odd-man
rushes in Games 1 and 2 by improving their defensive-zone play.

”We always feel like we owe him,” defenseman Anton Stralman said. ”He’s our
best player. He’s always there, he’s always there for us and tonight we did a
good job in front of him. I think that gives him some confidence, too, that he
knows we’re on and that’s the way it should be.”

The Capitals outshot the Lightning 38-23 but didn’t help goaltender Braden
Holtby with six minor penalties. Holtby allowed four goals but was helpless on
the one-timers on the power play by Stamkos and Kucherov – the 10th and 11th
Tampa Bay power-play goals over a streak of seven games with at least one.

Tampa Bay got two injury scares in the third period when Stamkos hobbled off
after taking a slap shot from teammate Braydon Coburn in the right knee and
Tyler Johnson was cross-checked by Michal Kempny. Each returned minutes
later.

Sporting an ice pack on his right knee, Stamkos said it was just a stinger
and that he was fine. He wants the Lightning to be feeling better but not too
good still down 2-1.

”We haven’t done anything yet,” Stamkos said. ”The goal is to win a
championship, but you can’t look too far ahead. We’ve made it a series.”

NOTES: C Lars Eller took three of Washington’s six penalties. … With his 10th
career power-play goal, Stamkos tied Martin St. Louis for Tampa Bay’s playoff
record. … Injured C Nicklas Backstrom (right hand) took part in the Capitals’
morning skate but missed his fourth consecutive game. Coach Barry Trotz
continues to call Backstrom day-to-day. … Trotz set a franchise record by
coaching his 54th playoff game with Washington.